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[Sideways]

In yet another effort to shed weight I am removing all air-con parts from my 1994 Elite.

Can the system be removed without effecting the running of the car. I.e. is there any mechanical or electrical connection that I'm going to upset.

Any assistance on the removal of the system (and whether it's possible to discharge the system yourself) would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[Robin Hood]

The compresser is belt driven so driven so that will be hard to remove.

[TheBoy]

It is possible to get a non aircon aux belt...

[Robin Hood]

     Err  Umm  of cause it is - better go back to work, though perhaps bed would be better.  

[Matchless]

I assume the a/c is not working in which case there is likely to be little or no refrigerant in the system. A '94 car should have a compression-type joint near where the pipes pass through the bulkhead, loosen this joint slightly and allow the refrigerant to escape but take care to keep hands away. If the system is still full then you should take it to an a/c specialist to have the refrigerant recovered.
Remove radiator then unbolt the refrigerant connections under battery tray and remove condensor.
Unbolt refrigerant pipes from compressor (needs socket and long extension bars passed down from around power steering pump)
Unbolt compressor (3 bolts at front and 3 at rear iirc) Turn compressor anticlockwise slightly as you pull it forward. It should come out fairly easily once it is rotated to the correct position.
Refit radiator
Buy an aux belt for a 2.0 with a/c and thread it like the later V6 but missing out the a/c pump. (yours might still have the additional aux belt idler which was on the early engines but is removed when belt is changed so use later routing)
Revel in the miniscule improvement in 0-60 time and better fuel consumption.

Why not remove the air injection system also, the pump is quite heavy and once its pipes and the a/c pipes are removed you could hold a dance in the space between engine and radiator. [smiley=cheesy.gif]

[Tezray]

In yet another effort to shed weight I am removing all air-con parts from my 1994 Elite.

Can the system be removed without effecting the running of the car. I.e. is there any mechanical or electrical connection that I'm going to upset.

Any assistance on the removal of the system (and whether it's possible to discharge the system yourself) would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Hello, is that Mark? Thought i'd see you on here sometime soon  

I imagine there is a V6 aux belt to suit no air con due to the early V6 base spec models....And if you need a hand with anything i'm happy to help  [smiley=thumbup.gif]

[Sideways]

Cheers guys, that's loads of help.

I have a non air-con belt that Texray sorted out for me.

Right, time to start pulling it apart.

Hopefully this time tomorrow I won't have lost any limbs to frostbite.

[Sideways]

Pete,

You say "Why not remove the air injection system also"

By air injection system do you mean the plastic tubing going from the air box into the metal plenum type box that sits behind the radiator, then from that into the throttle bodies?

If so, will this not cause fuel mixture and ECU problems?

It had crossed my mind to modify the radiator to enable direct induction into the throttle bodies.

[Marks DTM Calib]

No, he means the rather great air blower under the passenger front wheel arch (behind fog light) and associated pipe work.

[nixoro]

Thats the jobby that primes the cats on start up  

[Sideways]

Excellent, I'll take a look at it tonight. Unfortunately the car is at a friends so we have a sort of long distance relationship where I just get to see her on weekends and the occasional weeknight.

Does anyone know what the black plastic box with 3 hoses coming from the top of it does that sits behind the drivers side wheel within the wheel arch? Sort of, longitudinally opposite the self adjusting rear suspension pump.

Speaking of said rear suspension, would it be worth putting standard 3.0/2.5 rear shocks (not springs) now I have removed the self adjusting rear suspension pump?

[nixoro]

Speaking of said rear suspension, would it be worth putting standard 3.0/2.5 rear shocks (not springs) now I have removed the self adjusting rear suspension pump?

If its not being used might be worth swapping for standard shocks you could even make a profit from the self adjusting shocks  

[Matchless]

Does anyone know what the black plastic box with 3 hoses coming from the top of it does that sits behind the drivers side wheel within the wheel arch? Sort of, longitudinally opposite the self adjusting rear suspension pump.?

Sounds like the charcoal canister, part of the emissions control, absorbs vapour from fuel tank which is then sucked into engine and burnt when the ECU decides that the engine can cope with it.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Judging by what the Mv6 we have been stripping was like when we had finished, you will probably find it sits quite high if you remove any significant amount of weight....

[Tezray]

Iirc he's lowered it 40mm so it won't look too silly if it sits a bit higher...